I’m in bit of a dilemma because of the great joy two royal births under the Tories has brought the nation

And the wedding ernie, don’t forget the wedding! Labour gave us Charles and Camilla, but Cameron gave us Wills and Kate.

This is quite an interesting read for all those who have bought into Conservative economic policy, written by a nobel prize winning economist: Krugman

His views aren’t quite as much the consensus opinion that he’d like to make out, but there are a lot of experts outside the UK who agree with him, and the article does highlight some major misconceptions that seem to be very widely held here:

1. Conservative economic policy is a long way from proving itself to be sucessful.
2. Labour’s spending plans are very similar to the Conservatives, just on a slightly different timescale. If they’re an economic disaster, then the Tories probably are too.

Most job “creation” has been zero hours contracts or working in low grade, low paid service industries.
More shelf stackers isn’t going to help the country that much.

I thought the main difference in spending plans between red and blue was a £30bn pa wriggle room to borrow for capex as opposed to current spending that Ed had left himself.

nickc – Member
That piece from the Independent in Mike’s post is one of the saddest things I’ve seen written about the GE in ages

Perhaps it’s also an objective look at what is going on, something some people seem to struggle with.

Most job “creation” has been zero hours contracts or working in low grade, low paid service industries.
More shelf stackers isn’t going to help the country that much.

From FactCheck:

Key points:

The statistics do not and cannot show an “epidemic” in zero hours contracts. Comparisons of the number of people on zero hours contracts over time are not reliable, as the Office for National Statistics makes clear.
The statistics do show that 66% of people on zero hours contracts fall in the category of ‘does not want more hours’. The statistics alone do not show that everybody on zero hours contracts, or even a majority of them, are dissatisfied.
The latest ONS release shows that people whose main employment is a zero hours contract account for 2.3% of people in employment. This is 1 in 43 – or to a round number 1 in 40, not 1 in 50 as the Conservative Party has said.

https://fullfact.org/factcheck/economy/zero_hour_contracts_facts-41165

Most job “creation” has been zero hours contracts

https://fullfact.org/factcheck/economy/zero_hour_contracts_facts-41165

EDIT: Too Slow.

The proliferation of new jobs in science and engineering has been truly sensational.

Edit: do you think we really need more coffee shops?

Anthony Barnett is arguing on OpenDemocracy that the single biggest economic horror out there is actually the balance of payments deficit – which he suggests everyone is ignoring because they know they can’t fix it.

Stoner (or others) – is that a sane suggestion?

While sterling is relatively strong (compared to, say €) Im more sanguine about it. If it were weak and the BOP was still crap, then I’d pucker up a bit more.

ElShalimo – Member
“Most job “creation” has been zero hours contracts or working in low grade, low paid service industries.
More shelf stackers isn’t going to help the country that much.”

This is not really true in our industry but then we make things rather than be price squeezed suppliers to the avaricious price lead consumers who have more debt than is good for them and think the country should be run the same way. No worries though as their great grand kids will pay it all back.

I’m voting for …….. the heart head battle is not reached a conclusion yet. I should point out that one of my personal red lines is that any party with an Ed Balls for chancellor is out.

Edit: Spelling, never went to Eton.

as someone living in a labour held, scotch constituency, any vote not for one of the above is a non-vote.

as a natural tory voter with a conscience, i might just vote Lib Dem to give them hope for next May when its a bit more PR.

BigDummy – Member
Anthony Barnett is arguing on OpenDemocracy that the single biggest economic horror out there is actually the balance of payments deficit – which he suggests everyone is ignoring because they know they can’t fix it.

Stoner (or others) – is that a sane suggestion?

Yes it’s a big but largely ignored issue, historically UK growth becomes constrained by BoP (trade) deficits and inflation. At the moment, the latter is not an issue (more like the reverse) but we have twin deficits (trade and budget), weak productivity and excess debt.

Most of which is completely ignored by the fluff pedlars!

Nb our current account deficit (10%) is higher than any advanced leading economy. Still not all doom and gloom as it reflects (in part) the fact that the economy has expanded 10x faster than the €zone and unemployment is half their rate. But we do like to spend and spend on imported goods and it comes round to bite us on the backside eventually.

This plus election, might buy the holiday euros today then. Better check the rates!

Me probably, though not definitely, I’ve voted for Labour, Conservative and Lib-Dem in the past.

My gut reasoning is that they’re doing a reasonable job with the economy and that, contrary to popular opinion, aren’t doing a bad job with the NHS either. I don’t like their education policy a huge amount which is a concern but the overall package seems better to my eyes.

I do think though that, whoever wins, there will be little or no change for the large majority of the populous. The UK is doing OK right now and I think that is likely leading to a bit of voter indifference and also to no party being very different to the others.

I’ve in the past been a Lib Dem voter but I’m switching to Tory this time. It’s a bit of an odd one because I’ve been brought up in a family with, and my views are actually broadly aligned with left of centre opinions.

1/ There’s an outside chance that the incumbent Tory might get bumped by the Lib Dems
2/ The incumbents actually doing a decent job, has an interest in local issues as well as being a junior minister
3/ Ed Miliband is unelectable as a Prime Minister, I don’t think CallmeDave is fantastic but Ed would be absolutely joke material against the big EU leaders, Putin, etc.

Bottom line i want a Tory-LibDem alliance for another term because I think they’ve done a pretty decent job with the economy, austerity, employment and need to be given time to see it through. I don’t want a Tory majority, i think Clegg and co are a decent moderating influence. But I’m scared by a rag tag alliance of bits and pieces parties ‘led’ by Miliband, hence why my vote is going Tory in the hope they’ll be the biggest party and hence with the clout to renew the existing. For the same reason, I’m hoping the SNP derail the labour vote and knock them down a few seats as well.

In the long term, I’m hoping a relatively poor showing for labour, resulting in a change of leadership (although who to, i’m still not sure) and a rethink of their policies on the economy to make them a more electable party come 2020 when my gut instinct and natural tendencies would want a Lab-Lib alliance.

Yes

Our economy needs the profitable trade of trafficking vulnerable kids from carehomes to be raped by MPs, who can then be blackmailed to ensure smooth functioning of the arms industry, especially as concerns oppressive regimes such as apartheid South Africa and more recently Israel.

The Tories have a very strong record in this field and David Cameron can be trusted to cover it up as he has done for several years.

It’s all about shrinking the state to pre-1939 levels and privatisation. Kruger shreds the evidence and premises on which the policy of austerity was based. The Tories have borrowed more than Labour and I’m amazed at the number of people who swallow the Tory rhetoric about benefiting the economy. Capital funds are leaving Britain for countries in Europe with more expansionist policies, if Hargreaves Lansdown are to be believed. It’s always interesting to note the style and seemingly prepared contributions from people who don’t normally appear on here, don’t seem to own bikes, but seem to emerge during elections or crises in the ME. Just shows how important we must be!

I think that the biggest problems are the personalities at the top.

David Cameron – elitist, posh and out of touch with the electorate.
Ed Miliband – incompetent, backstabbing and just plain weird.
Nick Clegg – nice enough, but can’t be trusted.

As for the chancellors, they’re even worse.

George Osborne – nasty posh school boy interested only in looking after his rich chums.
Ed Balls – a bully who ****ed up royally last time.

I genuinely think that if Boris Johnson was in charge of the Tories they would walk this election. He is the only politician on either side who has any real charisma.

The Tories Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition have has borrowed more less than a continuation of the outgoing Labour government would have

FTFY

Yes

Our economy needs the profitable trade of trafficking vulnerable kids from carehomes to be raped by MPs, who can then be blackmailed to ensure smooth functioning of the arms industry, especially as concerns oppressive regimes such as apartheid South Africa and more recently Israel.

The Tories have a very strong record in this field and David Cameron can be trusted to cover it up as he has done for several years.

@jj you should be voting Labour as they have a much better track record in those things than do the Tories especially in the care homes / local government cover-up arena

I genuinely think that if Boris Johnson was in charge of the Tories they would walk this election. He is the only politician on either side who has any real charisma.

Scary thought.

Bottom line i want a Tory-LibDem alliance for another term

Good luck with that, ’cause it isn’t going to happen. The “sack Cameron” side of the house will be bigger than the “more Cameron” side.

That’s my fear, and why I ‘had’ to vote Tory to protect as many seats as possible against that eventuality.

I’ll be doing what you’re meant to be doing at elections, and voting on local issues.

We ended up with a Tory Mp last time, as our sitting labour MP was collared and sent down for his very dubious accounting in the expenses scandal. So its a bit of an aberration really. Its normally nailed on Labour

To say that our blue representative hasn’t exactly endeared himself to the local populace in the last 5 years would be the understatement of the century. He’s rubber-stamped George Osborne’s enormous cuts to the (labour run) local authority, and voted with the government on every vote.

Labour are taking getting the seat back very seriously. We’ve been deluged. The labour candidate seems like a thoroughly decent bloke, and has actively engaged with local issues that have seemed of little concern to our parachuted in, sitting Tory MP, who never leaves Westminster. . And we’ve had the whole labour front bench, including Ed here over the last few weeks. Alan Johnson was here on Friday

I think the absence of a similar push from the Tories seems to signal they’ve already admitted defeat.

However, yesterday provided much hilarity, as our invisible Tory MP apparently appeared in his constituency. I say ‘apaprently’, as he tweeted a picture of himself stood outside the Tory ‘Battle Bus’ that could have been taken anywhere, with the message ‘spent the day in the constituency knocking on hundreds of doors, talking to undecided voters….’

There then followed a social media campaign ‘anyone seen our Tory?’. Because the thing was that nobody actually had. There was the odd unconfirmed story of sightings of brave/foolhardy Tory canvassers, but no… nobody, undecided or decided voter, had actually had a chat with our Scarlet Pimpernell-esque Tory MP, or spotted any blue Battle Buses on local streets. And he disappeared back into the westminster ether as rapidly as he had allegedly turned up.

Rumour had it that he was looking for a small town with a river running through it, and the Tory sat nav had automatically take him to Henley-on-Thames instead 😆

Either way, he’s absolutely no chance! Thankfully!

Bottom line i want a Tory-LibDem alliance for another term

+1

Can I just point out Krugman is an absolute arse, this headline made me laugh from earlier this year, although not for the sorry people being screwed by his policies.

Krugman’s Japanese Legacy: Record Households On Welfare, Corporate Bankruptcies Soar, Majority Of Households Worse Off

I heard call me Dave railing about a Labour SNP coalition and saying it would be a very bad thing which is ironic as he is only PM due to a coalition with Lib Dems.

I think the horse trading on Friday will be very interesting and will give the financial markets the heebeegeebies

What seems to be being lost in all this ‘who are you voting for’ is the local MP and how good they are regardless of party alliances.

Last election I voted Tory, because the local MP – who is a Tory – is an excellent local MP and has done a lot of good for the area (Lichfield, the MP is Michael Fabricant).

I no longer live there and although I dislike the coalition and what they have done if I did live there I would vote for him again because as I have said he is good for the area.

Currently living in Maidstone and most of the candidates seem pretty much meh to me. Have been spam mailed by all of them repeatedly and none seem really good enough to get my vote. The only one who I really like is the Labour candidate – similar views to my own, local boy and seems like a decent sort from what I can tell. Which means I will probably be voting for Labour not for any tactical or country wide reason but because I like their candidate more.

BTW I also like the look of what the Green Party candidate says but am just not convinced by her at all.

Our candidates are here – http://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/general-elections-candidates-in-maidstone-35160/ – check out the independent guy!

Bottom line i want a Tory-LibDem alliance for another term

This IMO is the only sensible otion. I’ll be voting Lib-dem, but it won’t matter as Tory’s will get in where I live.

I think the horse trading on Friday will be very interesting and will give the financial markets the heebeegeebies

Apparently the financial markets are already resigned to a total mess on Friday, so they’re not expecting a big hit. I’d imaging the thing that’ll worry them, somewhat counter-intuitively, is a Tory Majority. As this could lead to a European exit, which I doubt any of them, or indeed anyone with anything between their ears, wants.

Somehow I missed Binners’ post – I agree with what you are saying, vote on local issues and trust your local MP will support the area you live in.

Interesting dicussion depite the rather ironic start given the OPs ongoing annual whinge about discussions here.

But I’ll stll be voting Labour in one of the safest Tory seats in the UK.

I’ll be voting Tory.

As well as the only party led by someone who would actually be viewed as a leader on the world stage, they have done a good job in difficult circumstances for the last term and I’m sure will continue to do so. I agree in principle with (moderate – no SNP, BNP etc) right wing political and fiscal policies.

FWIW, if anyone promised to add the SNP to the list of Designated Terrorist Organisations, they’d have my vote.

A coalition with two parties with opposing views would be my preference. The hope would be that they will fight so often that they can’t **** things up too much.
The worst case scenarios would be Tory/UKIP or Labour/SNP/Green. Looking likely though and I’m dreading it. IMHO, the next few years are going to be shit under one unholy alliance or another.
My cheery thought for the day.

I’ve in the past been a Lib Dem voter but I’m switching to Tory this time. It’s a bit of an odd one because I’ve been brought up in a family with, and my views are actually broadly aligned with left of centre opinions.

1/ There’s an outside chance that the incumbent Tory might get bumped by the Lib Dems
2/ The incumbents actually doing a decent job, has an interest in local issues as well as being a junior minister
3/ Ed Miliband is unelectable as a Prime Minister, I don’t think CallmeDave is fantastic but Ed would be absolutely joke material against the big EU leaders, Putin, etc.

Bottom line i want a Tory-LibDem alliance for another term because I think they’ve done a pretty decent job with the economy, austerity, employment and need to be given time to see it through. I don’t want a Tory majority, i think Clegg and co are a decent moderating influence. But I’m scared by a rag tag alliance of bits and pieces parties ‘led’ by Miliband, hence why my vote is going Tory in the hope they’ll be the biggest party and hence with the clout to renew the existing. For the same reason, I’m hoping the SNP derail the labour vote and knock them down a few seats as well.

In the long term, I’m hoping a relatively poor showing for labour, resulting in a change of leadership (although who to, i’m still not sure) and a rethink of their policies on the economy to make them a more electable party come 2020 when my gut instinct and natural tendencies would want a Lab-Lib alliance.

This sounds exactly like me! – so yes, I’ll be voting Tory this time, partly just to keep Miliband away from Downing St.

As for the chancellors, they’re even worse.

George Osborne – nasty posh school boy interested only in looking after his rich chums.

This kind of stuff just makes my pish boil as the evidence to the contrary is quite overwhelming:
– systemic approach to avoid UK tax avoidance (litigation on schemes like ice breaker), as well as pushing a europe wide coordinated effort to catch the likes of amazon and starbucks
– the rich paying more as a % of total tax than ever before
-marginal tax rates on earnings over £100K at 47% to 62% – both significantly higher than Labour

The “nasty posh” bit just seems to be a re-hash of the disgusting class based / divisive politics Ed Milband has been pushing for years. By all accounts (including OECD) George Osborne has actually done a good job and showed himself to be competent – unless the original poster has actually met him / knows him the “nasty and posh” says more about the mind of the poster than anything else and reflects the increasingly selfist / selfish / society that harms everyone.

I’ll be voting Tory.

As it’s most likely we won’t get a party with a majority a Labour win will mean a Labour/SNP coalition – they’re saying no now as Labour know they’ll lose some of their support as many hate that idea.

I will be voting Labour simply because they stand the best chance of defeating the SNP in our constituency.

If not for the SNP, I’d probably vote Tory because the current Labour leadership are utterly useless. Milliband, Balls and Harperson are probably three of the least capable politicians I’ve seen.

My heart is probably closest to Lib Dem but they are a joke of a party at the moment and, in my constituency, it would be a wasted vote. Actually getting into government has thrown them a bit. I have usually voted LD in the past but I lived in a very safe LD seat.

Did a mod just nab my last post?

This kind of stuff just makes my pish boil as the evidence to the contrary is quite overwhelming:
– systemic approach to avoid UK tax avoidance (litigation on schemes like ice breaker), as well as pushing a europe wide coordinated effort to catch the likes of amazon and starbucks
– the rich paying more as a % of total tax than ever before
-marginal tax rates on earnings over £100K at 47% to 62% – both significantly higher than Labour

The “nasty posh” bit just seems to be a re-hash of the disgusting class based / divisive politics Ed Milband has been pushing for years. By all accounts (including OECD) George Osborne has actually done a good job and showed himself to be competent – unless the original poster has actually met him / knows him the “nasty and posh” says more about the mind of the poster than anything else and reflects the increasingly selfist / selfish / society that harms everyone.

I should have been a bit more clear – these are not my views but how he is generally perceived.
Personally I think he has done a pretty good job in very difficult circumstances. He has however made some decisions that have left him open to the criticism that he is “looking after the boys”.
I think a more astute politician would have avoided these.

FWIW, if anyone promised to add the SNP to the list of Designated Terrorist Organisations, they’d have my vote.

+1
Best sentence on this thread.